Why India needs to focus on Urbanisation?

The state of public service delivery in Indian urban centres is abysmal. The scale of the challenge is massive which include ensuring

• Availability of clean drinking water.
• Unpolluted air.
• Quality public transport.
• Effective traffic management and parking.
• Integrated planning of transport and land use.
• Management and safe disposal of solid waste that is generated.
• Treatment of wastewater and effluents.
• Affordable housing.

Addressing these challenges effectively requires a renewed focus on urbanisation in India.

Why Urban Centres are Important?

• India is undergoing rapid economic growth. Rapid economic growth is associated with a decline in the share of agriculture and an increase in the shares of manufacturing and services in its GDP. This involves greater urbanisation.
• According to the UN estimates, India s urban population will increase from 461 million in 2018 to 877 million in 2050 and India would be contributing the largest share of global urban population growth from 2018 to 2050.
• Better urban infrastructure is also a pre-requisite to attract higher investments both domestic and foreign.

Hence India needs to bring its focus towards enduring planned urbanisation to ensure sustainable development. But the urban local bodies are financially broke and cannot address the challenges of urbanisation on their own.